


Survival Training

by BreakfastTea



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ignis is here in spirit, When Voretooths Attack, camping gone horribly wrong, noctis is a badass, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 06:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13118067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea
Summary: Noctis and Gladio go on a winter camping trip. However, things take a serious turn when they're attacked by monsters that have escaped from a nearby Kingsglaive training area. Now, Noctis is in a race against time to save Gladio's life.





	Survival Training

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! So, this is set in the Brotherhood era (because I am still not done mining that for fic ideas). Noct is 14 and Gladio is 17. I've wanted to write a story focusing on these two for aaaaages. I hope you enjoy it!

Ice clung to the Citadel’s windows. Noctis stared out at the city below, shivering at the sight of so much frost. He glanced down at the rucksack leaning against his leg. Maybe Gladio would see the weather and postpone their camping trip.

Noctis scoffed. Right, and maybe Ignis would agree to never force him to eat vegetables ever again.

Someone knocked on his door. “Come in.”

He looked and saw Gladio, a huge grin on his face. “Morning, Noct. You ready?”

Noctis frowned. “It’s icy out.”

“So?”

“So who wants to camp in icy weather?”

“Me. And you.”

“No, it’s just you.” Noctis’ reluctance only made Gladio’s grin broader. Knowing he had no way out, Noctis grabbed his bag and shifted his camp gear over his shoulders. “How are our dads alright with this?”

“Because they know what’s good for us,” Gladio said. “It’s the perfect time for some survival training, which you need.”

Noctis pulled his hood over his head. “It’s winter.”

“So?”

“It’s cold!”

Gladio clapped his hands together. “Builds character,” he said.

Noctis opened his mouth but gave up. He wasn’t going to win this fight. Last night at dinner, his dad had told him all about his and Clarus’ camping trips of yore, making them sound like some great adventure, whether it be fishing in the summer or ice climbing in the winter. Noctis didn’t mind the summer, but winter?

He stared at Gladio. “If I get frostbite, I’m blaming you.”

Gladio chuckled. “Quit moaning so much. This is a chance to have some freedom. You’re the one always trying to escape the Citadel.”

“No, I’m not!”

Gladio stared at him. “Ignis talks to me.”

“Traitor,” Noctis muttered.

“And leave your phone behind,” Gladio said. “We’re doing this old school. No phones. Nothing that requires electricity. It’s survival training. There might come a time when you need to know how to rely on nothing but yourself.”

Noctis pulled his phone out of his coat pocket, setting it down on his bed reverentially. What would he do if he got bored?

Yeah, right, like Gladio would give him a chance to get bored. If he complained, he’d probably find himself chopping wood or doing push ups.

Gladio ushered him out of his bedroom. “Let’s go. There’s a SUV waiting for us in the parking lot. We’re headed north.”

“North?”

“Yeah. There’s a Kingsglaive training area up there, but it’s also a great camping site. Plenty of wood for building fires, far enough out of the city that we won’t be disturbed, and a great place for you to do some orienteering. You won’t always have a map or GPS telling you how to get somewhere.”

“Survival training. In winter. With no phone if we get into trouble,” Noctis said. “Yeah, sounds great.”

“Keep it up, Noct, and I won’t teach you how to build a fire. You can freeze your ass off.”

Noctis fell into a sullen silence.

They left his rooms behind and headed for the elevator that would take them down to the Citadel’s expansive parking lot. It was quiet in the Citadel today; Dad must’ve allowed people to take time off for the approaching holiday season. Even Ignis had been allowed to take time off to visit with his family, something Noctis was grateful for. Ignis needed time away from everything, and not just because Noctis was tired of being told to eat his vegetables, do his work, read that report, pick up his clothes, practice his magic, don’t warp across the room when he can walk perfectly fine, sew his buttons back on… blah, blah, blah. Ignis deserved some time with his family.

And, if Noctis was really honest, Ignis probably _wanted_ a break from him too.

They reached the parking lot and, as promised, a large black SUV waited. Noctis saw it was loaded down with camping equipment. He dumped his kit in the back. “I thought we were going for a weekend, not the rest of our lives.” He glanced at Gladio. “Ignis didn’t trust you to feed us, did he?”

“He needs to learn how to chill out,” Gladio muttered. He tossed his bag in the back and walked around to the driver’s side.

Noctic laughed. “He just doesn’t like the idea of us living off Cup Noodles for the whole weekend,” he said, climbing into the passenger seat.

Gladio closed his door and started the engine. “Nothing wrong with Cup Noodles.”

* * *

Insomnia was a big city, but the fringes still contained large swathes of land untouched by civilisation. While people clamoured to use the land to build new housing for the war’s refugees, King Regis decreed that the city still desperately needed natural spaces. So far, he’d continued to win that battle. The city’s far north was still dominated by a vast forest, a place where cliffs rose up to meet the city’s Old Wall. Gladio knew the Kingsglaive used it as a training camp at certain times of the year, but the area was large enough that they wouldn’t encounter anyone. Especially not with such bitterly cold weather. No one would choose to camp at this time of year unless it was for training. All of which suited Gladio just fine. The thought of the wilderness, of not being surrounded by skyscrapers and people, filled him with joy.

The SUV’s GPS announced they’d reached their destination. Gladio parked in a small clearing, a few kilometres short of their campsite. The uphill hike would do them some good.

Especially seeing as Noctis had fallen asleep ten minutes into the drive.

Reaching over, Gladio gave him a hard shove.

Noctis flailed in his seat. “I’m awake!”

“Sure you are,” Gladio said. “We’re here. Time to hike.”

Noctis yawned and stretched, his gangly limbs splaying in every direction. “How far we gonna walk?”

“It’s probably 4k to the campsite,” Gladio said. “That’ll warm you up.”

Noctis opened his door. He gasped. “It’s freezing.”

“Get moving,” Gladio said.

They went around the back and gathered their supplies. They opted to leave some of Ignis’ food behind. Noctis knew Ignis meant well, but he seemed to have forgotten that they weren’t driving the whole way and neither of them could carry a month’s worth of supplies.

“It’s almost like he doesn’t trust us,” Noctis said, rummaging through everything.

“He doesn’t trust you,” Gladio said, locking the door. “He trusts me.”

Noctis snorted.

“He does.”

“Sure, yeah, uh huh.” Noctis went through the first aid kit. “Potions. Antidotes. Wow, even an Elixir.” Noctis could feel the magic sparkling within each one. His dad must’ve made them. While Noctis had improved on enhancing curatives with magic, he still needed a bit more practice before they could be used for real. “Looks like we’ll be okay if a pack of poisonous trees attack us.”

“Poisonous trees?” Gladio said.

“It could happen! I saw it in a manga.”

“Noct, the only thing in Insomnia that’s gonna poison you is badly cooked food or your own magic.”

Noctis glared at him. “You’re really never gonna let me live that down, are you?”

“I was sick for _hours_.”

“So was I!” Noctis said. “I didn’t mean to –”

Gladio patted him on the head. “I know.”

Noctis sighed.

“You’re not storing any poison spells, are you?” Gladio asked.

“No.” He hadn’t made any since that last ill-fated attempt had blown up in his face. Their faces. The faces of everyone in range, which, if Noctis recalled, included several members of his father’s council who happened to be walking past the training room at precisely the wrong moment.

“Good,” Gladio said. “We won’t need the antidotes then.” He grabbed them out of Noctis’ and tossed them back into the car.

“Are you sure? I could try storing it in the Armiger.” Try. Sure. He could send stuff into the Armiger easily enough, but pulling it back out? Yeah, that needed some work. He didn’t quite have the control yet. Just a few days ago he’d tried pulling a shield out, only to find himself with clutching a sword by its very sharp blade. He flexed his hand, a ghost of the pain sliding over his gloved palm. Pulling solid objects out of a magical in-between space wasn’t exactly straight-forward. Someday he’d get the hang of it. Just as he’d get better at magic and fighting and being a prince and all those other things he was supposed to be good at.

Gladio knocked his knuckles against Noctis’ skull. “Do you wanna carry them?”

Noctis dragged himself out of his thoughts. “No.” His back ached already at the mere prospect of everything he had to carry.

“Alright then. We’ll survive. Relax, Noct. We’ll be fine. You know what Ignis is like.”

“Fine. But if we are attacked by poisonous trees –”

“ – which don’t exist –”

“ – I’m telling Ignis it’s your fault we couldn’t cure ourselves.”

“Deal.”

Noctis shouldered his pack, the weight of it doubled now he had most of the food and the remainders of the first aid kit. His back ached, but he didn’t complain. He didn’t want a lecture.

Gladio checked the tent was attached to his kit, then swung his enormous backpack over his shoulders. It was easily twice the size of Noctis’, and it didn’t seem to bother him. He closed the SUV’s back door, pocketing the keys in his jacket’s pocket. “Let’s go.”

They hiked through the forest, frosty ground crunching underfoot. Despite his earlier complaints, Noctis found himself enjoying the quietude. It was hard to find silence in a city. Out here, it was easier to forget that they were still well within the city’s walls. He scrambled over old trees, clambered up small cliff-faces, enjoying the warmth and the exercise.

And the freedom. Suddenly, leaving his phone behind seemed like the best idea ever. No one to check in on him. No one to tell him to do something, be somewhere, remember this appointment, do that homework, don’t play videogames all night…

“It’s good to get away, right?” Gladio asked.

“Yeah,” Noctis said, unable to keep the grin off his face. “Really good.”

They reached their campsite by early afternoon. It was a small clearing surrounded by lush, frozen evergreen trees on all sides. Together, they pitched their tent and made a space for the fire.

“Right, we need wood,” Gladio said.

“You mean Ignis didn’t pack any for us?”

Gladio’s bark of laughter sent a flock of birds flailing into the sky. Wiping his eyes, he patted Noctis’ shoulder. “You gather some, and I’ll teach you how to start a fire.”

“Can’t I just use magic?”

“Sure, but this is about survival skills. What would happen if for some reason you couldn’t use magic?”

“I’ve been way better lately,” Noctis said. “I don’t even remember the last time I accidentally put myself into Stasis.”

Gladio stared at him.

“I don’t!” Noctis winced at how his voice squeaked at the end of that sentence.

“Three weeks ago,” Gladio said. “You slept through the entire weekend. Remember?”

“Fine. Three weeks ago. Starting a fire won’t –”

“If you wanna argue with me, you can do it while you do push ups. How about a hundred?”

Noctis’ mouth clamped shut.

“That’s what I thought,” Gladio said. “Firewood. Now. And don’t get lost.”

Noctis headed off into the trees. Firewood wasn’t hard to come by in a forest. He gathered an armful of wood and turned back to camp.

A rustle somewhere behind him stopped him dead. Ears pricked, breath held, heart thudding, Noctis listened for the sound again.

A gentle breeze whispered through the bare canopy overhead. A bird twittered somewhere nearby. Nothing rustled. Nothing creaked. Nothing snapped under the feet (or paws) of some unseen woodland creature.

“You’re imagining it,” Noctis told himself firmly and he tramped back to camp.

When he got there, he could see just how busy Gladio had been. Noctis stood and stared. He’d never met someone so keen on being outside and relying on nature.

Well, nature, and a healthy helping of Ignis’ cooking.

Gladio had dug a fire pit, found woodstumps to act as stools, and laid out their sleeping bags and extra blankets in the tent. Between their two sleeping bags was a small digital clock. Noctis realised he hadn’t even thought about how he’d tell the time without his phone. He looked up and saw Noctis. “Good job. Let’s get it burning. As soon as that sun goes down, it’s gonna freeze.”

Under Gladio’s direction, Noctis built the fire, placing the logs and sticks in a way that would encourage them to burn for longer. At its base, Gladio placed bundles of dry moss and grass.

“So, how do we start it without magic?” Noctis asked. “Or did you bring matches?”

“Survival training, remember?” Gladio said. He pulled two chunks of flint out of his pockets. “Watch.”

Noctis watched Gladio chip the two pieces together, sparks washing over the wood and moss. Moments later, smoke drifted from the moss. Gladio crouched down to fan the flames. Soon enough, Noctis heard the tell-tale crackle of wood as the flames caught hold.

“Huh. Cool,” Noctis said.

“Thanks,” Gladio said. “You can start tomorrow’s fire.”

“Okay!” Noctis said.

Gladio chuckled. “We’ll see if you’re still so excited when you have to build the fire pre-dawn.”

Noctis blanched. “Do we really have to get up that early?”

“You’ll be freezing so it’s not gonna be as hard as you think. Besides, I figured we could hike out tomorrow morning and see the Old Wall. The earlier we go, the longer we can spend there.”

“Why? It’s not like there’s gonna be a crowd.”

“We’re going early ‘cause that’s what you do on a camping trip. Get up early, see the sights, take a few hikes…”

“Come back and take a nap?”

“Noct.”

“I like taking naps!”

“You come back and chop up the wood for tomorrow’s fire. Maybe check out the local area, see if –”

“Maybe that’s how you camp,” Noctis grumbled.

“And when was the last time you went camping?”

Noctis sighed. He’d never been camping because his dad was overprotective, even within Insomnia’s impenetrable borders. It was a miracle he’d agreed to this weekend.

“Exactly,” Gladio said. “You need to be up at six.”

“Six?!”

“Six. And you might wanna go grab some more firewood tonight. You won’t feel like looking for it in the morning. We’ll store it under a tarp and then it’ll be dry for the morning. There’s definitely gonna be frost.”

Noctis got to his feet. “Fine. But dinner better be ready when I get back.”

“Deal.”

* * *

Noctis was surprised at how early he found himself crawling into his sleeping bag that night. Full of warm food, the crackle of the fire filling the chilly night air, he couldn’t keep himself awake. Wishing Gladio a good night, Noctis clambered into the tent, kicked his boots off, slid into his sleeping bag, and was fast asleep in seconds.

Hours later, he startled awake. It was dark, bitterly cold, and the only sound was the occasional snore from Gladio.

Something had woken him. Something…

There! He heard it. Outside the tent. Snuffling around. His heart turned to stone in his chest, thudding painfully against his ribs. He needed to call out, startle whatever it was…

Wait.

The sharp, cold shock of being awoken in the middle of the night wore off when Noctis remembered – this was _Insomnia_. Sure, it was the city’s northernmost limits, but it was still the city. It was still secured behind the walls – the old one _and_ his dad’s. Monsters – daemons – could not get in. Whatever was out there, it was just some nocturnal creature looking for food.

Noctis relaxed into his sleeping bag. He laughed softly to himself. He’d been _this_ close to waking Gladio. He clapped his hands over his face. How embarrassing would that have been? Forget the whole poisoning thing; Gladio would never, ever let him live down thinking they were under attack from daemons when it was probably just a fox or, heck, maybe even a rabbit.

Whatever it was, it continued sniffing at the edges of the tent. Noctis sat up and watched the edges of the tent bulge inwards as the creature outside pressed its nose and paws against the material. A few moments later, it pulled back and dashed away.

Noctis settled himself back down. He reached for the small clock Gladio had brought and read the screen. Five thirty… He shivered. Gladio was right about the fire. And seeing as he was, by act of small woodland creature, wide-awake, Noctis figured he might as well get started.

Dressing in his sleeping bag, he only climbed out when the last thing he needed to put on were his boots and gloves. Somehow Gladio slept through it all. Whatever. Maybe he’d be pleasantly surprised to not have to kick Noctis out of the tent to get him up and working. Imagining Gladio’s surprise, Noctis slipped out of the tent. A blast of cold hair slapped him in the face. His mouth fell open at the sight around them.

It hadn’t frozen over.

It had _snowed_ over.

He stared at the sight before him. The moon sparkled on the snow’s surface.  Icicles hung from the tree branches. He shivered. Had he ever felt anything so cold in his whole life? Noctis could see the animal tracks around the tent. He frowned. They weren’t quite as small as he’d expected. Whatever had woken him up was probably the size of a large dog. Did foxes get that big?

Never mind that now. He hurried to their woodpile and dug it out. The snow had killed last night’s fire, but Noctis easily cleared the snow and set the wood down. He shivered, the cold air like nothing he’d ever known. It hit him like a physical force, a constant weight pressing against his exposed skin. Simply breathing the frigid air in hurt. It was never this cold in the city. His hands might be gloved, but they were stiff and clumsy. How was he going to light the fire if he couldn’t hold the flint? Noctis glanced over his shoulder. No sign of Gladio. And it was _really_ cold. And there was snow. A lot of unexpected snow…

Noctis held out a hand, drew on his magic, and cast a small spit of flame onto the logs and sticks. Moments later, he had a good fire going. Its heat felt amazing, and Noctis watched the nearby snow melt away. They’d have to keep it burning all day today. Maybe he should get some more firewood. He glanced up at the bloated sky. Another snowfall looked imminent.

“Can’t believe Ignis forgot to pack skis…”

Noctis glanced at the tent. Gladio still hadn’t woken up. Maybe the smell of breakfast and coffee would rouse him. Noctis busied himself, keeping himself warm with action. Ten minutes later, he had a warm mug of coffee and a bowl of porridge. Not exactly cooking worthy of Ignis’ immaculate standards, but food was food.

Gladio finally emerged, yawning and stretching. “You lit it with magic,” was his greeting.

“I can put it out if you want and start again,” Noctis said, scraping the last of his porridge out of his bowl. “And you can relight it. Hopefully before it starts snowing. Which it will. Any minute now.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.” Gladio joined him beside the fire. “You better have left some for me.”

Noctis pointed to the two pots he’d used to make breakfast, both well over half-full. “You’re welcome.”

The sun finally came up enough to light up their small campsite. Soft flakes of snow drifted down from the sky.

“Gonna be a cold hike today,” Gladio said.

“You mean we’re not gonna stay here and make an igloo? Or a snowman?”

“A snowman? Noct, how old are you?”

Noctis blushed brightly.

“Snow never killed anyone,” Gladio said.

“Yes it did! People always die in the snow. I do actually read those reports from the Council. People die in snow every –”

“Fine, it’s not gonna kill us.”

Noctis deflated.

“Come on, finish up. We’ll get our gear together and start hiking.”

Ten minutes later, they were heading off up the track towards Insomnia’s Old Wall. Noctis tried to remember if he’d ever expressed an interest in seeing it, but figured as the heir to the throne, he should _want_ to see it… although maybe his ancestors would forgive him for not wanting to see it on such a cold winter’s day.

“Why were you up so early this morning?” Gladio asked. “I know it was cold, but that’s not like you.”

Knowing there was no way he could share his _thought we were under attack but actually it was a fox_ story, Noctis shrugged. “No, really, you were right. Being that cold sucked.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Noctis said, infusing the word with all the sincerity he could summon. “You never said it was gonna snow.”

“It wasn’t in the forecast.”

“Which forecast did you look at?”

“The only one we ever get!”

“Did you look at it for the right week?”

“If you wanna make training more of a challenge, I’ll drag you out of the tent while you’re sleeping and leave you in the middle of nowhere in just your underwear.”

Noctis stared at him. “You would not.”

Gladio cracked his knuckles. His thick gloves did little to muffle the sound. “Sure you don’t wanna tell me the real reason you were awake so early this morning?”

“Fine. The forecast got it wrong.”

“Uh huh, it did.”

They carried on, clambering over fallen trees and crunching over frozen puddles. The landscape this far to the north grew rockier, the trees clinging onto the edges of cliffs and steep drops. They had to slow down, the path underfoot little more than animal tracks. However, the stranger sights were the occasional signs that the Kingsglaive used the area for training. They came across an abandoned tank, a large shack designed for infiltration training, and even a store of wooden training weapons. The lack of human prints in the snow told Noctis no one had been around today. Animals, however, had clearly made the area home. Maybe the Kingsglaive soldiers were smart enough to only come out this far north in the summer.

Finally, they emerged from the forest atop a small, rocky outcropping. And there, standing in front of them, was Insomnia’s Old Wall. Words failed Noctis as he stared up at it. Somehow, out here, far from the city’s infrastructure and noise, the Wall seemed so much larger. So much more imposing. His ancestors knew how to intimidate their enemies.

“Wow,” he whispered.

“Here.” Gladio dug something out of his backpack. It was a dagger, the one Noctis used in training. “Think you can warp to the top?”

Noctis took the weapon. “Seriously?” He looked around, half expecting Ignis to leap out and ask them what exactly they thought they were up to.

“You can do it.”

Could he? Noctis liked warping; he relished it in training, but he’d never done it outside the safety of the Citadel’s training halls before. Okay, that was a lie. He warped up and down the Citadel at will. He just hadn’t done it outside of there. Not in the city. Definitely not at school. The thought of missing here terrified him. It was a long, long drop. He peered over the cliff’s edge and saw jagged rocks and brittle trees reaching out to him.

If he hit those, he wouldn’t survive long enough to feel the pain.

“I can hear you thinking from here,” Gladio said.

Nocits slipped off the thick gloves, needing the extra movement in his fingers. The cool hilt weighed his hand down. He couldn’t hide the trembling either.

Gladio gripped his shoulders and turned him to the Old Wall. “Focus,” he said. “Deep breaths. You got this.”

“Okay,” Noctis said, voice tight.

“Relax.”

“I am.”

“No, that’s called tensing up. Relax. Think it through. You know how to warp. You’ve been up and down the walls in the Citadel. That’s not a challenge anymore. You’re not a little kid anymore. It’s time you pushed yourself. It’s the only way to improve.”

Noctis’ hand tightened around the dagger. He _could_ do this.

“Besides, I brought you up to this cliff for a reason,” Gladio said.

“Yeah, so I don’t have so far to warp.”

“Sure, but the Kingsglaive said the view from the top is pretty special.” Gladio smiled. “Want me to take your backpack?”

Noctis shrugged off the straps and handed his gear over to Gladio. Then, before he could talk himself out of it, Noctis launched the dagger at the wall and warped after it.

To his amazement (and intense relief), he caught the dagger and found himself dangling just shy of the Old Wall’s peak. Swinging around, he gripped the ledge with one hand and pulled the dagger free. Not trusting himself to be able to retrieve it from the Armiger, he held onto it and heaved himself atop the Old Wall.

The view was, as promised, spectacular. In the distance he could see the city’s heart. Even with the clouds and the snow, he could make out its light. Fondness stirred in Noctis. As much as he wanted to get away from the Citadel sometimes ( _most_ of the time), seeing it all the way out here, tall and proud against a bitter winter’s sky, was reassuring.

No matter where he went, he’d always have a place to call home.

Wind howled around him. The cold atop the Old Wall was literally breath-taking. Noctis tugged his hood closer around his face. The view might be amazing, but he couldn’t take the bitter temperatures for long. Not if he wanted to be able to warp himself back to where Gladio waited.

But there was something else he had to do first. Just once, he wanted to see what lay beyond the city’s northern limits. Ever since the Marilith attack, he hadn’t been allowed out of Insomnia. Not once. Gladio had given him a chance to look beyond the walls today. He ran across the Old Wall’s vast expanse, snow crunching beneath him. His legs throbbed, the snow almost waist-deep, but he couldn’t deny the excitement he felt.

The city’s northern edge bordered a deep, deep sea. It was a bleak, grey waterscape, and yet to Noctis, it was beautiful. Water reached all the way to the horizon. He took a deep breath of freezing, salty air. He’d never smelled anything so good.

A stiff wind rocked him. Noctis shuddered. It was time to go back. At least hiking would warm him through.

Noctis returned to the point where he’d warped from. He could see Gladio waiting below. He shouted to his friend, but the wind stole his words. A snowy gust slammed into him, momentarily blinding him. When he could see again, he saw something awful.

Gladio was under attack. Three monsters surrounded him. Thin, four-legged, Noctis recognised them from the bestiaries Ignis had shown him.

Voretooths, none of which should exist within the city.

Suddenly, the nocturnal noises and the strange visit that morning made perfect sense. Guilt slammed into Noctis. He should’ve _said_ something.

“Gladio!” Noctis didn’t hesitate. He aimed, threw the dagger, and warped into the fight. He landed heavily at Gladio’s side, winded and off-balance. He didn’t have time to recover. One of the creatures swiped at him. Noctis caught its claws on his dagger and sliced back. The creature roared, blood spraying from its wounded paw. It staggered back, leaving the others to cover it. Noctis felt something hot pepper his face, but he didn’t have time to think. Another of the four-legged creatures came at him. His training took over. He didn’t think; he reacted. He dodged attacks, seeking his enemy’s weakness. He saw it when the creature reared back on its hind legs. Noctis lunged forward, the blade sinking into the Voretooth’s chest. It died with a terrible, gurgling roar.

“Nice one, Noct,” Gladio said. He sounded tense, and not at all like his usual self. “Don’t let your guard down. I’ve got one of ‘em. You take out the one you injured. No mercy.”

Noctis went for the injured creature. His enemy hobbled around him in a wide circle, keeping its distance. Noctis watched, not allowing himself to be distracted by Gladio’s roars or the sound of his weapon slicing through the air – and the Voretooth.

 _No mercy._ They needed this fight to be over. Noctis knew one way to end it quickly. After all, he’d spent countless hours practicing for this in the Citadel.

He unleashed a warp-strike. The Voretooth didn’t stand a chance. Its skull split beneath Noctis’ dagger, and it died silently.

Eyes wide, body shaking, Noctis turned away from the carnage just in time to see Gladio kill the last of the three Voretooths. He watched his friend double over, panting for breath. Noctis moved towards him on trembling legs. The adrenaline crashing through him faded, leaving him breathless and shaky.

“Gladio?” Noctis asked.

But instead of responding, Gladio bent double and vomited.

“Gladio!” His own weariness forgotten, Noctis ran to his friend’s side.

“Dammit.” Gladio crashed to his knees. “Those bastards were poisonous. Hit me with its tail.”

Noctis reached his side. “Poisonous?”

Gladio fell against Noctis. Immediately Noctis felt the sickly heat emanating from his friend’s body. “Yeah. Shit. Where did they come from?”

“I don’t know.” Noctis reached for Gladio, intent on keeping him upright. But when he moved, he saw the blood coating his hands, tufts of fur stuck to it. Stomach rebelling, Noctis wretched. His body quaked, his muscles jelly. He braced himself on his hands for knees, sucking in deep breaths. “Sorry,” he gasped. He jammed his hands into a snowbank. The cold stung. He didn’t care. He had to get the blood and fur off. “I’m okay. I didn’t get poisoned.”

“It’s the adrenaline crash. You did good.” Gladio said, his voice hoarse. He gently rubbed Noctis’ back. “Nice warp strike.”

Noctis wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Th-thanks.” Now was not the time for any kind of break down. Noctis dragged the shreds of his composure together and grabbed Gladio. “We can’t stay here.”

“Right,” Gladio said breathlessly. He was pale and sweating. “I just need a minute.”

Noctis looked around, eyes and ears straining for any sign of more Voretooths. Nothing. It was just them, the wind, and the snow. “Where’s my gear?”

Gladio shook his head. “Probably fell off the cliff with mine when those bastards attacked.”

Panic wanted to get the better of him, but Noctis knew he couldn’t let it. Heart fluttering, thoughts shrieking, he clenched his fists and made a plan. “We’ll get back to camp. I’ll make a fire, and then I’ll go to the car and get the antidote.”

“No. I’ll be alright. I’ll sleep it off.”

It was a weak lie. They both knew it wasn’t an option. Poisoning could kill – _would_ kill without treatment. “I’ll be alright,” Noctis said. “I can make it there and back. Give me the keys.”

“I can’t believe Ignis was right to pack antidotes,” Gladio said. He fumbled with a pocket and managed to drag the keys out. “Do you know how smug he’s gonna be?”

“I won’t tell him we left it behind if you don’t,” Noctis said, dropping the car keys into his own pocket and zipping it closed.

“Deal.” Gladio held out a hand. “Come on. We gotta get moving.”

Noctis jammed the dagger into his waistband. “Okay.”

Noctis helped Gladio to his feet. The walk back was slow and unsteady. The further they went, the more Gladio leaned on him. Noctis wasn’t tall or broad enough, but he struggled onwards without complaint. He didn’t want to make Gladio feel bad.

“I think I know where the Voretooths came from,” Gladio said. “The Glaives must train with them. Must’ve shipped them in from beyond the Walls.”

“They must’ve escaped,” Noctis said. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? Why?”

“I heard them. This morning. And last night, in the forest.” Noctis guided Gladio down a rocky path, taking care so neither of them slid over. “At least I think I did. It’s why I was up so early. There was something sniffing around the tent. If I’d said something –”

“Forget it,” Gladio said. “We’re in Insomnia. These things aren’t supposed to be. No one told me they’d be out here.” He stopped to be sick again. “Shit. Sorry, Noct.”

“It’s okay.”

When Gladio was finished, Noctis dragged him on, taking more and more of his weight. It was slow, painful going. Gladio was way, way bigger than Noctis, and Noctis had no way of spreading his weight evenly. Gladio apologised, but he didn’t have the strength to walk unaided. The poison ate away at his strength, leaving him more reliant on Noctis to keep him moving.

Night fell by the time they made it back to the tent. Snow plummeted from the sky, thick and silent.  Limbs trembling with the cold and over-exertion, Noctis dragged Gladio inside, wrapped his shivering friend in blankets and both sleeping bags. Gladio said nothing. Did nothing. He huddled in on himself, his body shuddering. His skin had a visible green tinge, the poison still ravaging him.

“Hold on,” Noctis said, looking for the first aid kit. He found it buried under his spare clothes. He tore it open and pressed the Elixir into Gladio’s hands, helping him to break it. Its enhanced contents washed over Gladio.  He sighed in relief, but the Elixir couldn’t cure his poisoning.

“Thanks,” Gladio whispered, his voice rough. “That’s helped.”

“Not enough.” Why hadn’t he just brought the damn antidotes with him?

Gladio shivered violently. “It’s freezing. Can’t get warm.”

“Stay here. I’ll build a fire.”

Noctis clambered out of the tent and made quick work of reigniting the remains of their earlier fire. He ran into the woods and grabbed more logs and twigs, knowing he needed to keep Gladio warm while he ran back to the car and picked up the antidotes. There was no way Noctis could let him go the night without medicine. He just had to hope the fire would keep any other Voretooths at bay if there were more loose out there somewhere.

Noctis returned to the campsite with the extra wood. He threw it on the fire, then ducked back into the tent to check on Gladio. His friend was dozing, but he was no longer shivering. That was an improvement at least. Remembering some of the basic first aid Ignis had hammered into him over the years, Noctis grabbed a bottle of water and shook Gladio awake. “You gotta drink,” he said. “You can’t get dehydrated.”

“Thanks,” Gladio said. He sipped the water.

“Wanna eat anything?” Noctis asked.

“No,” Gladio said. “Too tired. Can’t sit up.”

“Get some sleep. I’ll be back by the time you wake up.”

Gladio reached out, grabbing Noctis’ wrist. “Noct, listen to me, don’t go back to the car. Its dark, and if you get lost you could die out there. I’ll be fine.”

Noctis’ heart squeezed in his chest. Gladio would not be fine. He could barely keep his eyes open. Noctis knew that poison, once you got through the spew-your-guts-up phase, wore a person’s energy down until there was nothing left. Either Noctis went and brought back the antidotes, or Gladio wouldn’t survive.

And that was not an option.

“Noct,” Gladio said, eyes rolling back. “Don’t –” He passed out.

Once he was certain Gladio wouldn’t roll onto his back and choke on his own vomit, Noctis slid out of the tent. It was darker now, the snowfall worsening. He knew he was taking a risk, leaving Gladio on his own out in the woods alone and undefended, but he’d rather do something than sit by and watch Gladio succumb to the poison. He grabbed a nearby bottle of water, melted it near the fire and drank. Refreshed, he dug out a couple of granola bars and chewed his way through those, knowing he’d need the energy for the hike. His stomach grumbled in displeasure, too unsettled by the day’s events to really eat, but he knew better than to run through the snow without something inside him.

Ready as he was ever going to be, Noctis checked on Gladio one last time, dropping a bottle of water within reach and turning on a flashlight so his friend wouldn’t be too disorientated if he awoke.

“I’ll be back,” Noctis said. “Please be safe.”

Stepping out, he zipped the tent closed. Taking a deep breath, hoping it would settle the nerves dancing in his stomach, Noctis made for the path that would take him back to the car. Within minutes, the snowfall worsened, making his path harder and harder to follow. Eyes squinted against the driving snow, he kept going, pushing through the blizzard, every flake that hit his face stinging and numbing his exposed skin. Head ducked down, Noctis kept moving. He climbed over fallen logs and slowly descended the steep hill. He slipped and fell time and time again, the ground frozen and treacherous. Every fall added new bruises to old ones. Every fall stole more energy, but he forced himself to get back to his feet and keep going.

Gladio needed him. He would not fail his friend.

Hours passed. The track levelled out, the rocky round giving way to gentler hills. Noctis knew he was nearing the car. They’d left it at the base of the hill. Hope flickered through him, warming his body. Not far now.

A nearby growl stopped him in his tracks, icy terror stealing his breath. The stench of foul breath tickled his nose. Noctis watched as another of the creatures crossed onto the path ahead of him. It stared at him, its jaws drooling. It opened its huge mouth, and Noctis saw flecks of flesh caught between its immense teeth. Fear weakened his knees, but he held himself in place. If he didn’t make it to the car and back, Gladio would die of poisoning.

Noctis wouldn’t let that happen.

That Voretooth was going down.

Noctis threw his dagger at the creature, warping after it. But the creature was too fast, and Noctis’ strike missed. He turned in time to block a powerful blow, but the Voretooth pulled back, gathered its strength, and launched at Noctis. Noctis dodged. His foot slipped on ice. Heart lurching, he fell backwards, legs flying up. The monster’s jaws closed around his left ankle. Noctis cried out, the pain unbelievable as the Voretooth bit down, shaking him back and forth. Pain shot up his leg and pierced his ankle. Darkness gathered at the corners of his eyes. Noctis almost blacked out, but he clung to consciousness.

Wrenching his ankle free, Noctis drew on his magic, summoning a powerful blast of fire. Heat exploded through the frozen woods, catching the Voretooth full in the chest. It fell back with an agonised roar. Noctis stood. His left ankle screeched, but it held his weight. Dagger clenched in his hand, he looked around for the Voretooth.

There! It streaked through the trees, body in flames.

_No mercy._

Gladio’s words followed Noctis as he launched himself into another warp strike.

He did not miss a second time. His dagger cleaved the Voretooth’s head from its shoulders. Its head hit the snow, its body following moments longer.

Doubling over, his lungs heaved for air. Tears rushed to his eyes, a sudden urge to weep overcoming him. He sobbed helplessly, exhausted and in pain. He staggered forwards, his legs threatening to give up and tip him over, but he grabbed a nearby tree and held on tight. He needed keep it together. He couldn’t cry now, not when he was so close.

Rubbing his eyes, Noctis sucked in a few deep, cold breaths and regained a semblance of self-control. Pain and exhaustion clung to him, but he focused on what he had to do. The forest fell silent and dark again, the flames dying out. The snow continued to fall, blanketing everything.

Dizzy, strung out on fear and adrenaline, Noctis pushed away from the tree and limped onwards. His ankle protested louder with every step, a hideous pain radiating out from the joint. He didn’t dare look at it. If he didn’t see it, he could pretend it wasn’t that bad. He could feel his sock sticking to his skin, the warmth there telling him it was blood, not sweat. He clenched his teeth and kept moving. He couldn’t stop. Gladio needed him.

He followed the hill’s steady downwards slope until, at last, he emerged from the forest and found the SUV, frozen and half buried beneath the snow. Noctis half-ran, half-limped to it. He reached into a pocket with clumsy, half frozen hands and gripped the key. He pressed the button and heard the doors unlock. Reaching the car, Noctis grabbed the back door.

It was frozen shut.

“No, no, no! Come _on_!” Noctis heaved the door, but it didn’t budge. For a moment, he entertained the idea of just blowing the door open with magic, but then he realised that they’d still need the SUV to drive once Gladio was well enough.

Summoning a heroic amount of patience, Noctis worked on the door, digging it free of the ice and snow and slowly levering it open. He released a huge breath when he finally managed to climb in the back of the SUV. He found the antidotes, whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ to Ignis, and jammed them deep into his pocket.

Sliding back out of the car, balancing on his good foot, Noctis closed the door and turned to face the path again. Weariness swamped him, aches and pains clamouring for attention. He didn’t care. He couldn’t stay here any longer. Fuelled by determination, Noctis started the long walk back to camp. He tried to keep up a rapid pace, but his left ankle burned ferociously. The heat of his blood gave way to the bitter chill of snow as his wrecked boot became saturated with snow.

Shivering, teeth chattering, Noctis went up and up into the hills and cliffs. He lumbered onwards, snow pelting him. His skin was too cold to melt it, so the thick flakes clung to him. His body went beyond cold, beyond numb. His vision tunnelled, the periphery lost to black fuzz. Every step felt like a weightlift in the gym with Gladio, his muscles struggling. He could hear Gladio chuckling, pointing out how spindly his muscles were. He could see it all so clearly; the gym, the sunlight, the Citadel.

Noctis jolted. He startled awake to find himself collapsed in a snowdrift, his mouth full of snow. Spluttering and spitting, he pushed himself upright. How long had he been out? Seconds? Hours? Snow continued to drift down from the night sky, the forest invisible in the darkness beyond his flashlight. Grunting in pain, Noctis pushed himself back to his throbbing feet. He staggered onwards. Get to Gladio. Get to Gladio…

Something howled in the distance, the sound sorrowful and lonely. The shot of adrenaline blasted the exhaustion from Noctis’ mind. Could there be another Voretooth nearby? He hoped not. There was no way he’d have the strength to fight. Just taking a step took an incredible amount of energy. But swinging a weapon? Warping? Using magic? No. No way.

Afraid for Gladio, unconscious, sick and alone in the tent, Noctis forced himself to move faster. He heaved for breath, dragging his injured leg on when it wouldn’t take his weight anymore. He kept moving, kept going uphill, stopping only when his body gave out and he found himself on his stomach in the snow.

_No mercy._

He couldn’t give himself a chance to rest. Noctis limped, dragged and hauled himself onwards. Air sawed in and out of his lungs, his throat sore and aching after so much bitter air. Cold, dark hours went by. He didn’t stop. He pushed and pushed and finally, he broke out of the trees at the campsite. The fire still burned. The tent was directly ahead of him.

And so was that howling Voretooth.

Noctis forgot to breathe as the creature slashed through the tent. Gladio was there, still buried in blankets and sleeping bags. He didn’t stir. If Noctis didn’t do something, the Voretooth would attack.

Grabbing the dagger still stuffed in his belt, Noctis tried to warp, only for his energy to completely fail him. He had nothing left to give. Noctis fell to his knees. No. No! The world shimmered around him, his head so light it no longer felt attached to his body.

“Gladio!” Noctis’ voice was weak with exhaustion. “Wake up!”

He didn’t. Gladio didn’t even stir. The Voretooth’s jaws cracked open. Any second, they would close around Gladio’s neck and –

Noctis reached out, pulling flames from the fire into himself. He threw a fire spell at the Voretooth. It was a pathetic attack, barely more than a flicker of heat, but it was enough to get the monster’s attention. It whipped around, spotting Noctis.

“Shit,” he breathed. He gripped the dagger with as best he could. He really hadn’t thought it through.

The voretooth pounced, gliding through the air. It landed above Noctis, pinning him beneath its paws. It sniffed him, then let out a terrible, deafening roar.

It smelt the blood of its dead kin.

Noctis stabbed forwards, burying the dagger up to its hilt in the Voretooth’s underbelly. Blood and worse splattered all over him. The creature’s roar died with a sorry whimper, its immense body collapsing on top of Noctis. Its weight pinned him down, pressing him deeper into the snow. Noctis tried to push the dead creature off, but he couldn’t find the strength. He collapsed back, gasping for breath. He had to free himself. He’d come all this way. Gladio needed him. If he didn’t…

Slowly, slowly, tears of pain streaming down his cold cheeks, Noctis wormed his way free of the Voretooth’s corpse. Breaking free, he tried to stand. Pain ripped through his ankle leg, bones crunching audibly. Crying out, Noctis hit the ground. With no other choice, he crawled around the fire and over to the remains of the tent.

“Gladio!” he shook his friend. “Gladio, wake up!”

Gladio grunted, but he didn’t stir. Still, Noctis sobbed with relief. Gladio was alive. He pulled the antidotes free of his pockets, pressed them both into Gladio’s hands and crushed them. The enhanced medicine washed over Gladio. His skin instantly took on a healthier tone. His breathing eased.

That was all Noctis needed. Pain, cold and exhaustion finally won out. He passed out.

* * *

Gladio woke up. His body ached like he had was in the aftermath of some terrible flu. He blinked to clear the sleep from his eyes, waiting for the world around him to come into focus. Something wasn’t right about his bedroom’s ceiling. And why was it so quiet? He couldn’t hear cars passing by outside.

Wait. Why were there trees overhead? Trees and a bright blue sky?

He blinked, his vision clearing. And with that came his memory. Camping. The Voretooth attack. Poisoning. Noctis. Gladio launched upright. “Noct!”

Looking around the battered and torn tent, Gladio found Noctis collapsed at his side. His face was tight with pain. Gladio saw blood. Battling his way free of the sleeping bag and blankets, Gladio grabbed Notis, pulling him into his arms. He was too cold. “Noct? Noct! Wake up!”

Noctis’ eyebrows drew together. His eyes cracked open. “Gladio?” His voice was thin, like he didn’t have the energy to speak.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s me.” Gladio pulled him closer, trying to share body heat. “What the hell happened?”

A dazed smile lifted Noctis’ pale lips. “You’re alive.”

“I’m fine. Noct, you’re –”

“Tired. Just tired.” Noctis slumped.

“Stay awake!”

It was too late. Noctis was already unconscious.

Gladio looked around, taking in the state of their campsite. He saw the body of a Voretooth. Noctis had killed it, right there, and Gladio hadn’t heard anything. The tent was in shreds, and he had no memory of it. He rubbed his face, still feeling the lingering effects of the poisoning. He shook himself. He had to focus. He was alright. Noctis wasn’t.

Looking back down to Noctis, Gladio absorbed the sight of all the blood and his wounds. His ankle looked bad, swelling against his boot. That had to be agony. Gladio checked Noctis’ pulse, frowning at the pathetic flutter under his fingers. Gladio crushed his guilt, crushed all his emotions. He didn’t have time for any of it.

First, he had to warm them both. Tucking Noctis into the blankets, Gladio went to the fire and stoked it, adding logs to bring it back to life. His stomach ached, his head throbbed with dehydration, but he worked steadily until the fire glowed bright and warm. He shifted Noctis so he was close enough to warm through again.

Gladio ran his hands through his hair. He needed to gather enough supplies to get them back to the car. He gathered water bottles and granola bars, jamming them into his pockets. He saw the bloody dagger sticking out of the Voretooth’s chest and grabbed it, wrenching it free.

“Nice work, Noct,” Gladio murmured.

Wiping the blood off on the snow, Gladio tucked the blade into his belt. He crouched down at Noctis’ side again, giving him another shake. “Noct. Wake up.”

Gladio could see the struggle, could see Noctis trying so hard to do what he was told, but it was no good. Noctis didn’t surface. Tramping down on his concern, Gladio lifted Noctis onto his back, taking care not to touch his wrecked ankle. Gladio kept a blanket tucked around Noctis, hoping to keep him warm on the journey back to the SUV.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Gladio said, walking away from the wrecked campsite. “I’m gonna get you home.”

* * *

Warm. He was so, so warm. Everything was soft and comfortable, drowsiness clinging to him, pulling him into its syrupy depths. Even his thoughts felt gooey. That thought made him giggle.

“Noct? Are you awake?”

He cracked his eyes open and saw a blurry face looking back at him. He blinked, but everything swam around him uselessly. Whoever it was, they stayed blurry. That made him giggle too.

The blur-person laughed. “I think the medicine’s working.”

That sounded like his dad. But why was his voice coming out of the blur-person?

Another familiar voice came from somewhere nearby. “I’m glad we made it back here in time.”

“He’s alive because of you,” said the blur-person.

“I’m alive because of him.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out what happens when he’s not so dosed up.” The blur-person reached out and Noctis felt a hand rest upon his hair. “But right now, I think someone’s way too out of it.”

Noctis blinked hard. “Dad?”

The hand stroked gently. “It’s me.”

“You’re blurry,” Noctis said.

Regis laughed. “I’m sure I am right now.”

“Gladio okay?”

“I’m fine, Noct.”

Noctis looked but did not see. And the simple effort of moving his head wiped him out. He closed his eyes and drifted away.

Next time he awoke, the world wasn’t a blur and his thoughts weren’t gooey. In fact, everything was too sharp, especially the pain in his ankle. He looked around, surprised to find himself in his own room. Someone, probably Dad, had left his Carbuncle figurine next to his pillow. He smiled. No wonder he didn’t remember having any nightmares. He looked the other way and saw Gladio seated beside him, dressed in sweats, reading one of his favourite adventure novels.

“Hey,” Noctis said.

Gladio looked over. “You actually awake this time?” he asked.

“Think so.”

“Good,” Gladio said. He leaned closer. “How are you feeling?”

Noctis squinted down at himself. He could see his injured leg, the ankle strapped with crisp white bandages and elevated on a pillow. He nodded at it. “That hurts.” He shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position.

“Wanna sit up?”

“Yeah.”

Gladio helped Noctis sit, rearranging the pillows behind him. “Better?”

“Better.” A brief tide of dizziness rushed over him, passing quickly. “You’re really okay?”

“I’m really okay thanks to you.” He ruffled Noctis’ hair. “You saved my life, Noct.”

“You’re welcome.”

Gladio sat back down. “So, what happened after I passed out from the poisoning? How did your leg get so messed up? You’ve broken it, fractured it, punctured it…”

“Voretooth. I didn’t move fast enough,” Noctis said. Memories of the pain and exhaustion washed over him. He closed his eyes, sinking into his bed, telling himself he felt better. He was safe. He was warm. It was over. “It grabbed my leg like it was a chew toy. That hurt.”

“I saw it,” Gladio said. “The one you killed in the camp.”

“That was the other one.” Noctis opened his eyes. “I’m talking about the one between me and the car.”

Gladio stared at him. “What?”

Noctis shrugged. “I had to get the antidote.”

“There were two?” Gladio asked. “You took out another _two_ on your own?”

“Yeah. But I –”

Before Noctis could answer, footsteps approached. Looking over, Noctis saw his father and Clarus approaching.

“Noct.” Regis looked tired, but his smile shone brightly. “You’re awake.”

“Hi, Dad.”

Gladio gave up the chair and Regis lowered himself into it. He reached for Noctis’ hand, his warm fingers squeezing gently. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

“Shall we try that again?” Regis asked.

Noctis sighed. “My ankle hurts.” And he still felt tired, but nothing like before. This was more like _stayed up to late, got up to early_ tired. Not _exhausted to the point that breathing's hard work_ tired. He could totally deal with this.

“Yes, your ankle was a cause for concern for a while,” Regis said. “I believe the word the doctors used to describe it was ‘mangled’.”

Noctis winced.

“Thankfully, they believe it will heal with plenty of rest,” Regis said. “Although I would like to know exactly how you damaged it so severely.”

“Yes, perhaps now you’re both awake, you can explain exactly what happened,” Clarus said.

“Maybe you can tell us,” Noctis said. “Where did those Voretooths come from?”

“The Kingsglaive training area. They have permission for these sorts of things, but the idea is they take better care of their resources,” Clarus said.

Resources? That was a funny way of putting something that had poisoned Gladio and almost detached Noctis’ foot from his leg.

 “The creatures weren’t locked down correctly and escaped,” Clarus said. “What I don’t understand is why you didn’t have any antidotes on you.”

“It’s my fault,” Noctis and Gladio said in unison.

Clarus raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Start at the beginning,” Regis said.

Between them, Noctis and Gladio told the story of their ill-fated trip. Noctis filled in Gladio’s blanks, ignoring the wide-eyed looks the others gave him when he explained how he’d made his way to the SUV. Gladio explained how, once he felt well enough thanks to the antidotes, he’d carried Noctis back to the car and driven them back into the city.

Regis sat back in his seat and looked up to Clarus. “I don’t remember our camping trips being quite so dangerous.”

“We do call it survival training for a reason,” Clarus said.

“It certainly fulfilled that purpose,” Regis said thoughtfully.

“Thank goodness you’re both alright,” Clarus said. “I’m sure lessons have been learned.”

Noctis nodded.

“Yes, Father,” Gladio said.

“I do have one more question,” Regis said. A grin tugged the corners of his mouth.

“What is it?” Noctis asked.

“Which one of you two is going to tell Ignis why you left the antidotes he prepared in the car?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. And allow me to take a moment to thank you all again for reading, commenting and giving kudos on all my stories this year. Writing fanfiction is something I do for fun, and knowing you guys out there like what I have to offer really makes my day. Honestly, it's so nice to see I've got messages first thing in the morning before I go to work. I always leave the house with a smile. 
> 
> Thank you all, enjoy the festive season, and I'll see you with something new in 2018.


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